As this event foreshadows the suicide of Marcie, no doubt it is at least partly based on such incidents as the suicide of [[Patricia Pulling]]'s son Bink. However, the idea that Bink's suicide had anything to do with his character was never established. There is no clear [[evidence]] that anyone has ever become suicidally depressed over a lost character. However, this is fiction, so it's not all that important.}}

As this event foreshadows the suicide of Marcie, no doubt it is at least partly based on such incidents as the suicide of [[Patricia Pulling]]'s son Bink. However, the idea that Bink's suicide had anything to do with his character was never established. There is no clear [[evidence]] that anyone has ever become suicidally depressed over a lost character. However, this is fiction, so it's not all that important.}}

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===The game turns real!===

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:* Frost: "Debbie, your cleric has been raised to the 8th level. I think it's time that you learn how to '''''really''''' cast spells."

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=This is where we get to the really wacky ideas that fundamentalists about what Dungeons & Dragons is about. They apparently really believe that it is a gateway into real life occult activities. The lesson here is that if people are willing to turn off their [[critical thinking]] abilities and believe in one kind of supernatural entity without evidence, they are likely to accept a whole host of similar ideas for no good reason.

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How does [[Jack Chick]] think that this initiation works, exactly? Is it only wizards who obtain "real powers" when they hit level 8? What if Marcie (the thief) had reached level 8 instead of getting killed? Would she have learned how to pick locks and hide in shadows?

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Although D&D deals with a world of fantasy and magic, many roleplaying games have entirely different themes. What happens to a player who reaches a high level in a superhero themed game? Do they immediately learn how to fly and burn things with their eyes? What about science-fiction characters? Are they issued futuristic laser guns? Do they get to captain their own starships?}}

==External Links==

==External Links==

Revision as of 12:12, 10 September 2006

A scene from Dark Dungeons

Dark Dungeons is a Chick tract whose description is "Debbie thought playing Dungeons and Dragons was fun... until it destroyed her friend."

Frost: "Marcie, get out of here. YOU'RE DEAD! You don't exist any more."

Comment: Far be it from this editor to judge the depths of emotion that serious role-playing gamers experience, but has anyone ever seen a reaction like this in real life? It takes about ten minutes to roll a new character, right?

As this event foreshadows the suicide of Marcie, no doubt it is at least partly based on such incidents as the suicide of Patricia Pulling's son Bink. However, the idea that Bink's suicide had anything to do with his character was never established. There is no clear evidence that anyone has ever become suicidally depressed over a lost character. However, this is fiction, so it's not all that important.

The game turns real!

Frost: "Debbie, your cleric has been raised to the 8th level. I think it's time that you learn how to really cast spells."

Debbie: "You mean you're going to teach me how to have the real power?"

Frost: "Yes, you have the personality for it now."

Comment: This is where we get to the really wacky ideas that fundamentalists about what Dungeons & Dragons is about. They apparently really believe that it is a gateway into real life occult activities. The lesson here is that if people are willing to turn off their critical thinking abilities and believe in one kind of supernatural entity without evidence, they are likely to accept a whole host of similar ideas for no good reason.

How does Jack Chick think that this initiation works, exactly? Is it only wizards who obtain "real powers" when they hit level 8? What if Marcie (the thief) had reached level 8 instead of getting killed? Would she have learned how to pick locks and hide in shadows?

Although D&D deals with a world of fantasy and magic, many roleplaying games have entirely different themes. What happens to a player who reaches a high level in a superhero themed game? Do they immediately learn how to fly and burn things with their eyes? What about science-fiction characters? Are they issued futuristic laser guns? Do they get to captain their own starships?